It’s not every day you see pizza on wheels. Today is that day. When I first caught wind of this concept—a completely mobile Neapolitan pizzeria—I was obsessed with the idea. Culo Grosso is dishing out authentic Neapolitan pizza. Better yet? They’re bringing it right to you.
Culo Grosso is not the first mobile pizzeria I’ve seen, but it’s definitely the most polished. Owners Anthony Cardinale and Joseph Pisano started their pizza journey at the beginning of the pandemic. A DJ in the area, Cardinale was out of work and turned to pizza to pass the time. Like it does for so many, the hobby soon turned to obsession, and eventually he and Pisano found themselves with a marketable product.
The duo brought Joseph Mazzeo on as a partner, purchased an imported Kei truck—a compact utility vehicle popular in Japan—and strapped two Gozney pizza ovens to the back of it. They slapped their logo on the front, and the rest was history.
The phenomenon of Culo Grosso is not just that it’s mobile. The real feat is the quality of pizza they’re dishing out from such an unorthodox setup. Culo Grosso’s pies are modeled after authentic pizza Napoletana—high-hydration dough, charred pillowy crust, quick cook, and fresh ingredients. Anthony was turning out pizzas in under three minutes when he set up shop for us at a New Jersey Digest staff party.
Pizza in general—but especially Neapolitan pizza—is finicky. A slight change in temperature or humidity can make or break your product. But the challenge seems to be the draw for Cardinale, who was stretching and cooking pizzas in a driveway without a worry.
The Menu
Culo Grosso offers seven staple pizzas, and you’ll get to try all of them when booking a typical catering event.
The Classic Margherita is the flagship. Crushed Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and a dusting of grated cheese top a 12-inch round of dough. The pizza bakes at an ultra-high temperature in the Gozney oven, landing a tender crust, charred bubbles, and mozzarella that’s just barely starting to melt—a crucial element of authentic Neapolitan pizza. Too long in the oven and the cheese begins to split and burn. It’s a delicate balance, but even cooking on a truck, it seems to be a non-issue for Culo Grosso.
Then there’s the pizza that Cardinale admitted is one of his favorites: a mortadella-topped pie playfully named A Ding of Beauty. Cubes of porky mortadella, fresh mozzarella, basil, and Pecorino go on top. Once it’s cooked, it gets hit with dots of pistachio pesto all around. It’s salty, earthy, a bit funky, and definitely delicious. For mortadella fans, it’s a no-brainer.
For the salami crowd, The Wooden Spoon delivers: shredded soppressata, Calabrian chili-infused honey, tomato, and fresh mozzarella. And then there’s the sweet and savory fig pie—Calabrian-spiked fig jam, smoked mozzarella, and creamy whipped ricotta. An absolutely delicious option that veers away from your more traditional pies.
To my shock, my favorite pizza Culo Grosso offers is the vodka pie, fittingly named The Sell Out. Creamy vodka sauce paints the bottom of the dough, finished with fresh garlic and mozzarella. It’s slightly spicy, tangy, and downright tasty—and that vibrant orange color makes it as easy on the eyes as it is on the palate.
Culo Grosso Brings the Pizza to You
The benefit of Culo Grosso’s concept is that they can bring it anywhere—a birthday party, a wedding, a weekend barbecue, and so on. Culo Grosso is happy to set up shop anywhere in New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, and parts of Pennsylvania. It wasn’t even 15 years ago that Neapolitan pizza was still hard to come by in the States, and now you can have it nearly anywhere—even your own backyard.
The team doesn’t stop at pizza on wheels. The Bar in Sayreville is Culo Grosso’s very own cocktail bar, specializing in Italian bar bites, Neapolitan pizza, and more.
The truck was just the beginning of something larger.
Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.
